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A former Detroit Lions standout has publicly cautioned wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown after the star pass-catcher’s response to fan criticism surrounding the team’s new offensive coordinator sparked backlash.

Following Detroit’s decision to name Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator, a portion of the Lions fan base expressed disappointment online. St. Brown addressed those reactions on his podcast, urging fans to calm down, but his delivery came across to many as dismissive and condescending.

That tone didn’t sit well with former Lions Pro Bowl guard T.J. Lang, who added his voice to the criticism during an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket.

“When you start talking down to fans and questioning their intelligence, nobody wins,” Lang said. “You can’t possibly know what the entire fan base thinks unless you’re somehow talking to all of them regularly. What you’re really reacting to is social media, and social media isn’t reality.”

Lang pointed out that much of what players see online is exaggerated or intentionally provocative.

“A lot of that stuff is nonsense,” Lang said. “People are trying to get a rise out of you, and you’re taking the bait.”

He doubled down on the idea that St. Brown crossed a line by framing his comments as an attack on fans’ knowledge of football.

“These are passionate people,” Lang explained. “The team is relevant again, and that changes everything. Fans are more invested than they’ve been in decades. They’re paying attention to every move, and every decision will be dissected. That’s not a bad thing—that’s what happens when people care.”

Lang emphasized that increased scrutiny comes with success, and the Lions’ resurgence has naturally led to deeper emotional investment from supporters.

St. Brown’s core message wasn’t entirely off base. When Petzing was officially hired on January 19, much of the immediate online response leaned negative. On his podcast, St. Brown argued that fans should reserve judgment and allow the new coordinator time to prove himself.

However, critics believe his message would have landed better had it been delivered with less arrogance.

On the St. Brown Bros. Podcast, the receiver pushed back strongly against online criticism, questioning whether fans trusted head coach Dan Campbell or the organization’s decision-making process. He suggested many of those voicing concerns lacked a real understanding of football and were judging Petzing without sufficient knowledge of his background.

While St. Brown defended the hire, skepticism about Petzing isn’t hard to understand. During his three-year stint as offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals, his offenses never ranked among the league’s top 10 in either scoring or total yardage. In the 2025 season, Arizona finished 19th in yards gained and 23rd in points scored.

There are reasons for optimism. Petzing is still early in his career as a play-caller and worked alongside former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson earlier in his coaching journey. He’ll also be stepping into a much more talented offensive situation in Detroit than he had in Arizona, where quarterback instability—most recently with Jacoby Brissett—was a major challenge.

Still, the NFL ultimately judges coaches by results. Given how attractive the Lions’ offensive coordinator opening was this offseason, some were surprised the team didn’t opt for a candidate with a more established track record.

That reality puts extra pressure on Petzing—and, by extension, on St. Brown. If the offense struggles, fans are unlikely to forget the receiver’s pointed remarks from earlier this offseason.